Protecting You
by xxredemption-love-and-liesxx
Summary: "Rin, you cannot carry this child." [SessRin] [adult!Rin]
1. Discovery and Reaction

**Protecting You  
**xxredemption-love-and-liesxx

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**Chapter 1  
**_Discovery and Reaction_

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She was absolutely sure that she was sick.

There were days where she had a fever; a high one. She would be unable to leave the bed, but problems were worse when she needed to force herself out of bed to rid herself of her stomach contents. The young woman was also losing weight, simply from not being able to eat. Whatever she put down, liquid or solid, it would come right back up again within the hour. None of the yokai were able to look at her, and she did not wish for that to happen. Her mate's yokai should not be used on her for some ningen sickness.

Besides, they would not be able to tell what was going on with her, seeing as they were different species to begin with.

But that was not even the full problem, she was mated with the yokai ruler of the Western lands. She was _his_.

A ningen and a yokai were considered forbidden, _taboo_. It was a rare practice only done by a select few. The young woman obviously knew of her mate's younger brother, Inuyasha, and he was hated by yokai and ningen alike. A hanyou was considered to be different to a ningen and a yokai, even if he may have had the heart of a human, and the body of a demon or vice versa.

Her mate in question had allowed her to know of his father. It was said that Inu no Taisho was with Inuyasha and his human mate, leaving behind Sesshoumaru, her mate, and his mother. This jealously from the daiyokai, the both of them, should not have been condoned, but they could not help it. Sesshoumaru's mother soon got over it, but it was the elder son that felt the bitterness of jealously. It rained its ugly head and caused the two to hate each-other. Then, there came the story of Inu no Taisho's legacy; the Tessaiga. Of course, Sesshoumaru had already found the Tenseiga, and seemingly abandoned it. He did not like using it; it was of no use in battle as its blade could not even cut a leaf. The only thing the weapon had been good for was to bring yokai and ningen alike back to life.

However, years had passed, and the two had become closer. While they were not as close as siblings should be, they were able to, albeit without speaking of it, consider themselves brothers. They had spars frequently to hone their skills, and they were a close match in their strengths. It was clear that, while Inuyasha had the Tessaiga, Sesshoumaru was still stronger, due to his full-blood yokai abilities. He was able to heal quicker, and if he lost the Bakusaiga in a battle, he would be able to use his toxic claws.

As the brothers somewhat respected one-another, they had this unsaid promise that they would help each-other out. Of course, seeing as the two were so ego-driven, they would never ask for this help. It would just happen, and they may lash out at each-other for not being able to fight an opponent.

As Rin's thoughts continued, she felt the sick feeling in her stomach bubble. The girl rushed to her feet, and practically darted to the closest bathroom, the one in her chambers, and promptly, threw up. She had not even eaten today, and she was sick! She really did not understand what was going on. The colour drained from her face as she felt a hot flush coming on, deciding that it would be best to flush the toilet, and perhaps go for a swim in the lakes near the main chambers. That might cool her down.

But Rin hesitated.

She had a habit of fainting as well because of this illness. She knew it would not be best, as Sesshoumaru had made it clear he wanted no-one to watch when she was bathing, other than the female yokai that would groom her, if she wished. However, Rin was the sort to not ask for this, as she did not like baring herself in front of people; female and male alike.

Her hazel eyes met the mirror, and she noticed that her weight loss was evident in the mirror as well. Her cheeks were as pale as white clay, and her eyes had heavy and dark bags underneath. Her lips were chapped and dry, and she looked absolutely horrifying.

Rin was somewhat glad that Sesshoumaru would not return for the next few days, at least in what he had said. Her life had consisted of getting out her futon, throw up, try and eat, throw up again, lay down because she felt lethargic and exhausted, get up and try and eat again, then go to sleep for the night. She had been unable do much; she had to get others to watch over the house, and report to her. And by reporting, they left letters underneath the door so she could read them when she could.

Because of the sickness she was feeling, she wondered whether or not she should visit Inuyasha's mate, Kagome. Kagome was sure to be able to know what was going on, but there was the problem of _getting _there. If she is still sick when her mate returns, she may be able to get him to take her there. Of course, he would more than likely fly, rather than take Ah-Un. He preferred carrying her, anyways.

The reason for seeing Kagome, was simply because if she fell deathly ill and passed on, it could kill Sesshoumaru. A daiyokai's mate, and well, any yokai's mate, is held in very high regard. If one of them die, the other is very likely to follow. It is because their lives (and souls) are bonded in such a tight way, and when a yokai loses their mate, they usually lose the will to live. Even someone like Sesshoumaru is able to be affected by it, from what he had said himself, and that terrified her. It made her wonder why he chose someone as _weak _as she was. He could have had a lady which was strong and a yokai like him, someone who could look after herself easier, but he chose her.

When he had mated with her a year ago, it was practically like a marriage. He had bitten her months before, shocking her to her core. He had lost himself at one stage, and his eyes were that haunting red. She was unable to stop him, and he had sunk his teeth into her neck, forever marking her as his. The bond itself was forged when they made love for the first time. The memory was very fond in her mind, as she had never seen her mate the way he had been. While his eyes had later gained the fiery red hue, rather than the pupils turning emerald, they stayed the beautiful amber that she was used to. It calmed her down, and she was able to enjoy his ministrations during the act. Again, he had bitten her one last time, allowing a small moon to form on the side of her neck, disappearing beneath her skin, and another on her right hip bone. The latter stayed, while the former only appeared if he was searching for her, or if a man or yokai touched her with the intent to take her.

When hers and Sesshoumaru's bond forged, her life was tied to his. If he died, she would follow. And if she died, he would follow her to the after-life. Another added aspect was he had a telekinetic bond with her, and that helped her when she missed him, and he would send her calming thoughts to allow her to sleep. Lastly, her life span had increased. It was to the same amount of time as he would live. Of course, she was still a mortal, and could be killed by anything that a normal ningen could die from.

Rin lifted her head, staring at herself once more. Her eyes were hazy, and she decided it was best to go back to sleep. She already felt tired. Swiftly, she flushed the toilet and made her way back into her bedroom chambers..

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"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!"

The silver-haired lord had only _just _walked into his castle.

As it was, Jaken had a bad behaviour of rushing up to Sesshoumaru and complaining about things he did not care about, _especially _after he had just returned home. His body lusted for his mate, as it negatively affected a yokai if they were too far away from their mate for extended periods of time. Of course, he was able to control himself, like any aristocratic yokai should be able to, but that did not mean that he did not think about it.

All he wanted to do was make love to her and become reaquanited with her body, something that he allowed himself to do whenever he returned home from long patrols of his land.

Sesshoumaru did not bother to look or respond to the green yokai, simply walking past him. He had no time to speak with the yokai, besides, his body practically roared for Rin. He needed her at that point of time.

He continued stepping towards his chambers, but the irritating Jaken stopped in front of him. For once, the idiot was not listening to him, it seemed. The yokai's eyes narrowed as he regarded Jaken coldly. He had no want to sit around right now. The only thing on his mind was his mate; it had been a long couple of weeks without her. While years did not mean anything to a yokai, it still felt like a long time when a yokai was not in the embrace of their loved one. Besides, being mated has other effects; the main one is an even closer connection, hence him missing his human mate.

The lord's eyes returned to his previous stead-fast scowl. "What is it?"

Jaken froze, seemingly collecting his words. "It's about Rin," the green yokai swallowed his possibly last breath. "she is ill."

"Ill?" the yokai said, his hands clenching by his sides in an unnoticeable way.

"Some sort of human illness, Sesshoumaru-sama. She has been this way ever since you left over a month ago," Jaken explained, knowing that was what his master had wanted from him.

Jaken's scanned the room with his lime eyes, already realizing that his lord had disappeared right before his eyes.

But he did not make any comment, instead deciding to make himself useful.

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Sesshoumaru could tell that she was still asleep, and she was having no dreams. He scanned through her thoughts, seeing that she was indeed sick. Slowly, he opened his chamber's doors, sliding he door open so he could slip through silently. He was silent on his feet, not wishing to disturb his mate's rest. She needed all of that. Also, he knew that she was not a fan of people barging into her room, and he did not want to irritate her. She was the sort to not talk to him for a day, even for something over that. Of course, he would force her talk to him. Sesshoumaru was not the sort that enjoyed being ignored.

His eyes met her body, and his amber eyes widened a fraction when he noted she had lost a considerable amount of weight. The yokai closed the door behind him, and made his way to her. He leaned over the futon and her body, allowing his claws to sheathe, as he lowered his hand to her cheek bone. Her skin was warm, he noted. But her face did not show that; she was as pale as a spirit. His honey eyes narrowed as he checked her over, being gentle with her. Sesshoumaru leaned his head down and took heavy breaths, picking up on her scent. He needed to know what was wrong with her, so he could solve the issue. However, him being a yokai, he was not able to know _exactly _what was wrong with her.

However, from the symptoms she was showing, he knew that she was very sick. Kagome had told him before of a few illnesses humans can pick up, and he could tell that they were weaker than he had previously thought. She was no exception, he supposed. Even with being mated to him, she was still able to be affected by sickness, and this made him worry for her, understandably.

The yokai continued scenting her, reaching further and further down until he came to her stomach, picking on the scent of, well, himself. His eyes narrowed as he investigated further; the scent of her body changing was what caught him out. He _knew _her scent was like his, but not this much so. Something else was going on, and the changing in her body was making him sure that he knew what was going on. There was no way that her body was preparing to bleed, as her scent would drive him into heat. Instead, this was just a pleasant smell. Something that he liked.

He closed his eyes at this knowledge.

**_This _**_is what is causing Rin to be sick?_ His head was thinking of all the possibilities of what was going on, but he knew that her being pregnant is the only possibility.

A hanyou was the cause of her sickness, it seemed. He snarled to himself, cursing himself for not noticing such a thing. He did not know that a hanyou would cause her so much pain. She was not sleeping well, and seemed to dart around in the sheets. He thought of waking her up, but was against it. She needed rest, even if that rest was not good. … He also needed time to think of what he can do to sort out this issue.

He eyed her stomach for a moment, not feeling anything but worry for his mate. The hanyou she was carrying in her womb was the cause of her illness. In other words, _he _was the cause of her sickness. He knew that a hanyou would cause plenty of damage to a human, especially with _his _power. Sesshoumaru was a full-fledged yokai, and also was one of the strongest the lands have seen.

Sesshoumaru knew better than to wake his mate up, so he decided to lay with her and get some rest as well. However, he knew full well that she needed it more-so than she did.

… And if he could not rest, he needed to think about what he can do to solve this _issue_ that has made itself known.

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When the young lady awoke, the first thing she noticed was an arm wrapped around her body, pulling her close into a larger body. The warmth she felt calmed her, and she could feel the fluffy boa against her body. She hugged into the fur, feeling the arm tighten slightly when she shifted. She closed her eyes, but felt a tongue lick at the scars of the bite her mate had created years ago. She giggled softly, his fangs playfully biting into the creamy flesh of her nape. The scar always stayed on her neck, the moon appearing in the middle of his bite's scars. Of course, ningen asked about the fangs imprinted in her neck, and she gave them the honest answer; she was mated with a yokai.

Rin felt his hands move a little more, and she definitely, definitely knew he was awake. Unlike her, he needed very little sleep. However, he allowed himself to rest in her presence, even dozing off every now and again.

Rin turned around in his arms, to meet his golden eyes. He was awake. Or, at least, he had always been awake.

Sesshoumaru helped her turn around, so that she was facing him. His eyes were… different. There was something in his eyes that made her worry, but it vanished, making her believe that she was only seeing things. Her fingers lifted up and traced each and every marking that was permanently marked upon his face. He leaned into her touch, enjoying it.

"Why didn't you wake me up?"

He leaned in. "You are ill. You need rest."

The young woman was surprised that he knew about it, and then realized that Jaken was sure to have told him about her condition. After all, Jaken did check on her daily. However, Rin felt sadness at the fact that she was unable to get better before her mate returned home, but she was still happy to see him, nonetheless.

Sesshoumaru leaned down, reading her eyes. Rin hid her eyes, closing them. He gripped her head, telling her to look at him. She did as he ordered and watched him.

"Honto gomen," Rin breathed, gazing up at her mate with sad hazel eyes, "I should be better by now; before you returned."

Sesshoumaru watched her silently for a few moments before shaking his head, "It is not a sickness you should be ashamed of, mate."

Confusion swept through her, making her so puzzled by the words he had said. Ningen had such a weakness towards disease and famine; something that yokai do not go through. She knew that her mate absolutely _hated _ningen weakness, and he showed that when some petty children begged him for money or food. Of course, when Rin knew that her mate was far away, she would give the children a few coins to get them on their way, and to be able to buy a full meal for themselves.

Sesshoumaru watched Rin for a few seconds before muttering, "You are carrying a child."

A few seconds ticked past, and she felt her heart flutter in her chest. She sat up, pulling away from his grasp, and felt his eyes watching her. Rin allowed her hand to drop to her stomach, allowing herself to smile lightly. She could not believe that she was carrying her love's child! Never had she expected to do such a thing, yet, here she was, pregnant.

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Sesshoumaru had followed her as well, sitting up in a cross-legged position.

The silver-haired yokai gauged her reaction, and felt his heart stop when he realized the happiness on her face. He would have to shatter that, for her well-being, and he wondered if she would hate him for it. It would hurt her; _he _would hurt her. The daiyokai _knew _that carrying a hanyou, especially from a yokai as strong as him, would affect her negatively. Even before childbirth, the child could kill her, ripping her a part from the inside out. The strain on the body was something that scared him as well; she could die at any moment. If the hanyou kicks her later on, it could break spine or cause internal bleeding.

It was the harsh reality of carrying a yokai child; she could not heal as quickly as he could, and her body would be harmed. He did not wish to put her through that, even for the sake of keeping a child alive. She was too important, after all.

He would grow to hate his own child if it was the cause for his mate's death, besides, Sesshoumaru's would follow soon after. And even if he did survive the loss of his mate, he could not care for something that took away his most important thing. He knew that Rin was sure to be upset, especially with the evident happiness she had shown, but it was for her own good, as well as his own.

"This issue needs to be dealt with," he paused, watching as Rin froze, "it cannot stay."

He watched the smile fade away from her face, and she fixed her eyes on him, turning her head. Her back was to him, and he could cause her to lose it whenever he wished; they both knew that. But she was not paying attention; she was seeking his words' meaning.

"Rin," Sesshoumaru growled, making her shiver with his tone, "You cannot carry this child."

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_tbc_

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(1)—Boa: referring to Sesshoumaru's fluffy… thing.

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Okay, so I hope that the first chapter was good. I'm hoping to give out chapters at least once a week. I'm three chapters in, but I'm going on holidays next week. I think that this should only be four or five chapters long. It will have some more adult content later on *winks*, but I hope it's okay. And yeah, I'm so, so sorry that Sesshoumaru and Rin might be out of character, but this is my first time writing something for them. But yes, **anyways **I hope it was, well, readable.

Also, this is **unedited **so there is sure to be mistakes.


	2. Discussions and Questions

**Protecting You**  
xxredemption-love-and-liesxx

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**Chapter 2  
**Discussions and Questions

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The words replayed over and over in her head, and automatically, her hand was securely wrapped around her stomach, ready to protect herself from him if need be. Her body was numb, and she could not believe his cruel words. How could he just say something like that, without feeling?

Right, he was Sesshoumaru; the cold, seemingly heart-less yokai.

However, something like this… should he not discuss the situation with her?

Or, did he think that she was stupid to not be able to choose what she wanted? However, she knew her mate, and he was _nothing _like that.

Then, it came to her.

He _hated _hanyou.

And her child was sure to be a hanyou; she was a human and he was a full-fledged yokai.

Rin was not idiotic; she knew of his hatred towards half-yokai, but she did not expect such a reaction from _their _child. This being that was growing inside of her at that moment was made from the both of them. The human heart with a yokai exterior. She saw him reach a clawed hand towards her, but instinctually, she slapped him away. His hand dropped, as did his expression, but she was too far gone into her thoughts.

… And she was too observant of anything he was doing right now. They knew that he could pin her down and tear away at her stomach, destroying the life there.

"Why…?" she uttered out, taking the time to speak now. "How could you just say something like that? This is _our_ child, correct? Why would you—"

"I do not wish to have a child," Sesshoumaru interjected, rather rudely.

Rin paused and thought of her options. She then realized what needed to be done. She stood up, keeping her hand on her stomach. She looked around for a kimono; one that was not some light night dress. She needed to go; to leave. If the woman stayed, her child could be in danger from its own father.

However, he stopped her, grasping tightly onto her wrist. He was standing behind her, pressing the small brunette against his chest. Rin yelped, trying to break free from his grasp, but he used his strength to keep her still.

"You do not understand what this Sesshoumaru is thinking," he snarled out, yet able to keep his voice low.

"No, _you're _the one who does not understand," she pulled away from him, jumping back. "I am leaving. I cannot stay."

Sesshoumaru nodded his head, allowing her wish. "Do what you want. I have no right to stop you."

Rin felt tears prick, but she did not allow them to fall. This was no time to cry; it was no time to break down. She needed to be strong in front of him; to let him know that she was being serious. That she would not be swayed by his words, but it seemed, that unless she got rid of it, he would not stop her. He did not _care _that she stayed. That was what she thought, and it really, really hurt. All over it being a hanyou; it made her think whether or not he was sorry for mating himself unto a ningen.

The thought really made her heart hurt.

"Why?" she whispered, referring to his want to kill their child.

"It will harm you, possibly kill you," he answered.

Rin pursed her lips before shaking her head, "I can't let you get rid of it."

The yokai did not respond.

The brunette knew that she had angered her mate, but she was furious with him as well. She would leave, for now. Rin wanted there to be no risk for the infant in her womb. Even though Sesshoumaru himself had said that it could kill her, she did not care.

It was hers and Sesshoumaru's, making it something worth protecting. He should be happy, like she. But no, the yokai had reacted the way he had, and really, gave her no chance to give her opinion.

She stood around, finally finding a kimono made of the finest materials and slipped it on.

"I'm… going to stay with Kagome-chan," Rin ushered, not sparing her mate a single glance.

His golden eyes focused on her back. "Take Ah-Un."

Rin hesitated before nodding, somewhat thankful that he cared enough for her to take him. She knew it would anger Jaken, but she needed something to travel with; something that would keep her safe.

The brunette slipped out the door, not saying another word to him; no goodbye, no nothing.

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When his mate had left, and he felt her presence disappear, his thoughts fell onto her anger on the situation. The way she had reacted was something he had not expected; he had expected her to understand him, as she always did.

What did it matter if the child was gone? It was barely developed; only being a few weeks old. He was sure that she had conceived just after he had left, as he did not pick up on the scent of her body beginning its change. This gave him no time to think out his options.

The one thing that got him, however, was that he went as far as telling her that the infant could harm her, or even cause her death, yet, she did not bat a lash. Most ningen would; fearful of their own deaths. He had never seen anything like it. He also did not understand why she did not listen to him. She was the one that often listened to everything he had to say, but this time, it was different.

The yokai had given his mate the right to leave, as it was simply _her _right. He would not force her to stay if she did not wish to. He also hoped that she would think of this, and make a decision which would not end up killing her. It also gave Sesshoumaru time to think about everything, but he was sure of his own answer.

He needed to rid her of the foetus growing in her womb. It needed to go, so that she was sure to _survive_. He would not—_could not_ lose her. His brunette mate was the most important thing in his life, no… she _was_ his life. He had waited for her for hundreds of years, having not felt love, no matter the kind of love, for another being before. Not even his mother nor his father. He had fallen for her; a ningen.

If he lost her, and he survived, he would not know what to do with himself.

As it was, it was easily seen that she had gained her sickness from carrying the hanyou. She had said it was theirs, and while that was completely true, he did not care. She was a _ningen_, and as it was, it was rare that humans live through the later stages of pregnancy whilst carrying a hanyou, lest the actual giving birth. While there were a few that had survived, it does not automatically mean that she would live through it; all demons have a nasty habit of ripping apart their yokai mothers, so if it happens to a ningen… While, there was a chance that it would not happen, it was still something he did not wish to think of.

If Sesshoumaru was some weak demon, it would not have been as bad. However, he knew he was powerful. He was one of the ones who had defeated Naraku, and he was also the owner of the Western Lands. He was also a daiyokai; automatically allowing anyone to assume that he was powerful. Lastly, he was the son of Inu no Taisho. His father was a powerful demon in his own right, but Sesshoumaru—and by default, his half-brother—had surpassed his father. It had been a strain on his father's ningen mate to birth Inuyasha, so he wondered just how much it would affect Rin.

At the end of everything, she really knew _nothing _of birthing a hanyou.

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Rin had arrived hours later to her destination upon the flying, dragon-like beast. Ah-Un landed, allowing Rin to dismount, and shook its leathery body. The brunette allowed her fingers to meet the dragon, and gently stroked one of its heads. The beast purred lightly.

She had to stop a few times during her trip from sickness. Already, her stomach was playing up worse from being away from home. She guessed it had to do with her nerves towards leaving Sesshoumaru the way she had, and maybe the baby noticing her distress.

Slowly, she walked over to the house that she knew belonged to the priestess that lived in the area, but the door had already opened.

Kagome was a lot like a real priestess now; she wore the red and white robes that all miko wore, and her hair was extremely lengthy. The raven locks reached down to her hips, and she was absolutely stunning. After her mating with Inuyasha, she stayed the same age of twenty, and she looked extremely young. The blue-eyed miko ran up to Rin, hugging her.

"It's good to see you, onee-chan!" Kagome sighed happily.

The miko pulled back and looked into the hazel eyes of the younger woman, and gasped at what she saw. However, this surprise was short-lived as Rin had collapsed into Kagome.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called out, as she held the passed-out Rin against her.

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"What's Sesshoumaru's mate doin' here?" Inuyasha asked, gently laying Rin against the animal furs, "and why is she sleeping? Is he not looking after 'er or something?"

Kagome was yet to answer his questions, only tending to Rin first. She noted almost instantly that the young girl had a fever, and she seemed to have lost weight. Kagome glanced at Inuyasha, and noted that he was watching Rin in an odd way.

Ichiro, hers and Inuyasha's son, was on Kagome's lap, playing with his mother's hair. The little boy, only being three years old, had the same length of hair as Inuyasha's, but was a shiny raven colour. He was practically a mirror image of his father; ears and all, and Kagome had once joked that Ichiro looked a lot like Inuyasha's human form.

Of course, Inuyasha was not very impressed with that statement.

Inuyasha sighed, leaning down, "Oi, mate, she's with-pup."

The miko glanced at her mate, confused, "Why would Onii-san—" the silver-haired hanyou winced, "—let her leave? He would know, right? I mean… he's really protective of her."

Inuyasha frowned, "I dunno. Though, he's made it clear he hates hanyou. But you'd think it'd be different with his own pup."

Kagome nodded her head in agreement, "But… he's so protective of her, and we all know she's literally his only exception. So why would he allow her to leave, especially like this?"

"Maybe they got into some fight," Inuyasha offered, pulling Ichiro out of Kagome's lap, and allowing the boy to stay on his own lap.

"Papa," Ichiro whined, glaring up at his father, "I wanted to stay with Mama!"

"Mama is doing work," the hanyou reasoned, glaring right back at his son.

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A few hours later, Rin's hazel eyes opened. She looked around, and noticed that the ceiling was nothing like the one in her own chambers. She guessed that she was really with Kagome, and what had happened prior was not a dream.

_Sesshoumaru… _She thought sadly, hoping her thoughts and feelings would reach him, but she guessed he would have turned off his connection to her; something that she was unable to do.

Rin's ears picked up on the sound of bare feet hitting wood, and she cautiously sat up and looked around. Straight away, she noticed her mate's half-brother seemingly resting. Tessaiga was next to him, and he had his son in his lap. The raven-haired boy was in a small ball, and sleeping heavily. Inuyasha, on the other hand, seemed to still be conscious, but Rin uttered no sound.

"Are you feeling better?"

Rin jumped when she heard that voice, and saw Kagome in the doorway of the small hut the family lived in. She was carrying a bowl, and moved to the fire in the centre of the room, keeping the occupants warm. Kagome placed the bowl on top of the fire, and placed a few ingredients inside of it.

"A little," Rin lied, pulling up her legs, "Thank you, by the way."

"For what?" Kagome asked, stirring the mixture in the pot.

The brunette nodded her head, "Just… for letting me in. I know how hard it is right now."

"It's fine," the miko said, taking a wooden cup to, what seemed to be tea, and handed it over to Rin, "This should help with the morning sickness, and it'll allow you to eat better."

Rin took the cup and blew into it, taking in the scent. It somewhat smelled like flowers, and made her stomach churn a little. She wondered if this would really work, but she knew better than to drink it right away, lest she wanted to burn her tongue.

"So, why'd Sesshoumaru let you go like that?"

Rin glanced over at Inuyasha; his eyes were open and he was watching Rin, seemingly judging her. The silver-haired hanyou was then bopped on the head by Kagome, as she stared him down. Inuyasha let out a whine and pulled at her, trapping her beside him. She let out a gasp before giggling at his behaviour, and nuzzled in close to him.

"Don't answer him, Rin," Kagome said softly.

"I'll… tell you about it soon, but I just…" Rin sighed, leaning into her knees and hiding her face from the couple.

Kagome nodded her head, understanding automatically, "We'll go for a walk, tomorrow. And we'll talk."

The brunette nodded her head, but did not peek out of her hiding spot.

.

.

When Rin had awoken again, she was given another cup of the tea that had actually served to make her feel better. The serving alone was enough to allow her to eat some rabbit which Inuyasha had hunted down earlier. Inuyasha and Ichiro ate the serving raw, while Kagome had cooked it for herself and Rin. It was a different sort of meal for Rin, as she often ate the finest of foods. It somewhat reminded her of the time when she ate whatever she saw before she met Sesshoumaru.

The young woman had watched the three person family speak of events. It seemed that Ichiro and Inuyasha would go fishing later, and meet up with Shippou after that. Kagome, on the other hand, would watch over Rin and do some miko duties. Of course, Inuyasha had made it clear to call for him if she needed help.

Like Sesshoumaru and herself, Inuyasha and Kagome had a similar sort of connection. However, instead of direct thoughts, it was more emotions. Rin had supposed it was due to Inuyasha being a hanyou, and therefore, slightly weakened their connection in a way. However, while Kagome could only sense Inuyasha's emotions, Inuyasha could pick up on her thoughts. It was an odd thing, really.

"Come on, Rin," Kagome said after she finished cleaning up after dinner; Rin had helped with drying the dishes.

Inuyasha and Ichiro were already gone, looking for their food for the night. Kagome had once said that it was annoying that there were no fridges in this time, of course, Rin had not really understood what a 'fridge' was. But, from what Kagome had said about them, they would be really helpful.

Rin followed Kagome through Bone Eater's village, and watched her interact with the villagers. They were very respectful towards her, and of course, knew who Rin was. It was known very well that Rin was the Lady of the Western Lands, and therefore, made her very high up in position. Of course, this meant that she had some enemies which were ningen. On multiple occasions, she had nearly been killed by assassins. Sesshoumaru had intervened, slaughtering the assassins easily. However, whoever had tried to kill her, just sent out more.

While she was sure that she would not be attacked, as it was highly possible that Sesshoumaru and her relationship troubles would have spread, even overnight. However, the one thing she was scared of, was that people would hunt her down to kill off Sesshoumaru's first child.

Though, if Sesshoumaru did not accept the child as his, then there was a lower chance of there being people after her.

"I need to help out this old onna before we do anything else," Kagome said, stopping in front of a diminished hut.

She and Rin slipped inside, and Rin stood aside, watching her sister-like friend help out the elderly woman with a few tasks.

.

.

Rin and Kagome were finally free, and after Rin had explained her story, Kagome was absolutely bewildered by what had occurred.

"He really did something like that?"

Rin nodded, cradling herself with her arms wrapped around her legs. Tears had fallen, and her eyes were red. There was a pain in her chest, and she felt absolutely saddened after she told what had happened between herself and her mate.

Kagome allowed her hand to reach Rin's, and gently held it. She stroked her fingers in a soothing way, and Rin closed her eyes, relaxing slightly.

"He's worried, I think we both know that…" Kagome murmured softly, "but he should have allowed you to discuss the subject with him. I'm sure he might have understood…"

Rin shook her head almost instantly, pulling her hand away and covering her eyes, "No, he wouldn't have… he's so set on…" she trailed off and closed her eyes tightly, willing for all of this to go away.

"I think… that's he scared you'll die because of it."

"I know… but I'm willing to die for this child."

"He… does understand that you aren't going to _definitely _die, right?" Kagome asked, unable to stop herself from asking the question.

Rin looked away not agreeing with this, "It's… probably because the baby is a hanyou. He _hates _hanyou."

Kagome could not help but feel sorry for her sister; she knew that Rin absolute loved the daiyokai, but it had to have been absolutely painful for her to have been told that she cannot have the child. The miko wanted to see Sesshoumaru herself, and demand what the hell his problem was. However, she was not foolish—she knew better then to become a nuisance to the yokai of the West.

The miko took a heavy breath, dropping her head, "I'll ask Inuyasha about birthing hanyou; he is sure to know more. It might be different to me, because, while we consider our children hanyou, they really are only a quarter of a yokai."

Kagome decided that she needed some information on this, and it was probably best to ask Inuyasha. While he was not a full yokai himself, he was sure to know of the effects on his mother. Kagome knew that his mother had passed when he was young, but she was sure it had nothing to do with her carrying him. It just could not. If she was to be killed by birthing a hanyou, it would have been before or right after.

"I'll… ask Inuyasha about it," Kagome breathed, glancing at the whimpering Rin.

The pregnant lady nodded, understanding that they needed more information to make sure that Sesshoumaru was not lying to her. However, she had a feeling that he was not. He was not the sort to lie about something like that, he might have exaggerated, but he would not lie _completely_. Rin reached for the bowl again, taking another gulp of the substance, hoping that she would not feel sick again for a while.

Rin nodded her head, but did not look up. She lowered her hands and legs, instead crossing them. She fingered a curl of hair before glancing at Kagome, silently thanking her for all of this.

The priestess reached for Rin, and she slowly rested her hand against the pregnant woman's stomach. A light blue light appeared, and the young woman stiffened. Rin watched her, caution flitting into her eyes. She knew that Kagome could purify the baby instantly if she wanted to. That was something she did not want. However, Rin did not shift away. She watched Kagome, of course, but she trusted the ravenette.

"It's good," Kagome said softly, a smile flitting onto her lips, "the baby will be pure of heart."

"You… can tell, already?" Rin asked, glad for the subject change.

"Mmhm," the miko grunted, pulling her hand away and resting it on her lap, "the soul can be seen by a miko's powers. Of course, hearts change, and most children are innocent in the womb, but this child is likely to be very human in nature, if that makes any sense."

Rin smiled again, stroking her belly and then looking at Kagome, "Thank you…"

"It's fine."

.

.

Sesshoumaru, whilst not needing sleep, felt absolutely exhausted.

When he had returned home, the rest he had was none. Rin had been gone for two weeks now, and he wanted to see her. His thoughts on the child growing in her womb were still the same. However, all he wanted was for her to come home. The yokai of the West _needed _her home. He did not think that he could miss her as much as he did, so he decided it was time to visit her, and leave her behind something, because he knew that she was sure to have the same problem that he had.

.

.

Inuyasha's ears stuck up, he could hear something. He sniffed instinctively and could pick up the scent of his elder brother. The hanyou glanced at Rin, who was asleep, and nodded at Kagome. The miko knew what was going on, and looked worried. She did not particularly want a fight between Inuyasha and his brother. However, knowing the two of them, it might have been impossible for one not to occur.

The half-yokai headed out the door, following the scent of his big brother.

.

.

"Inuyasha," Sesshoumaru drawled, glaring at his surroundings.

His younger brother emerged from the tree-line, "Sesshoumaru."

.

_tbc_

.

So yes, an early chapter. Uhm, mainly because I won't be able to update in two weeks (maybe more due to the fact that I **do **have an exam right after the holidays, and I want to focus on that). I would have normally given the chapter out Tuesday or Wednesday, but I'm sure you guys wouldn't have been too happy if I had of taken a long time to update.

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed the next chapter.


	3. Comfort

**Protecting You**  
xxredemption-love-and-liesxx

.

_Chapter 3_  
Comfort

.

**Notes**: I have literally no reason as to why this took so long. Honestly, between school and computers breaking/playing up, I haven't had time to post at all. Of course, that doesn't really give any reason, seeing as I was updating other stuff. Whatever.

.

.

The two brothers stared at one another silently, the atmosphere tense. They were both still, impossibly still. Inuyasha had his hand pressed against the hilt of his sword, ready to pull it out if need be. However, Sesshoumaru made no move towards his own weapon, and was instead standing rather peacefully.

A gust of wind blew past, sweeping past both of the inu-yokai. Leaves danced among the wind, along with silver hair.

"What do ya want?" Inuyasha said, speaking slowly, "Ya only ever show up when somethin's happenin'."

Sesshoumaru did not speak straight away, and instead reached for the fur he often kept. Inuyasha watched with a slight amount of interest, but did nothing to stop his elder brother.

"I have something," the elder brother started, speaking slowly, "for Rin."

Inuyasha scowled, baring his fangs slightly, "And what could ya possibly have for her?" he snapped, not trusting his elder brother.

Sesshoumaru slowly laid the woollen pelt down before stepping away from it, "This. She cannot sleep properly without it."

_What, is Rin a child?_ Inuyasha thought to himself, knowing it was best not to voice the words he was thinking.

.

The brown-haired girl glanced over at the miko. Her child was playing around with a small doll. It was torn up pretty badly and was quite dirty. Rin smiled, knowing that the toy was Ichiro's first toy, no doubt. She knew from previous visits that he was quite spoilt. His mother loved him dearly, while his father knew what it was like to live without parents for a good part of his life. He did not want his own son to feel left out like he did. It was surprising that the young child also got along quite well with other children in the village, seeing as he is considered a hanyou.

Rin stiffened, feeling tense all of a sudden. Feelings were washing against her like waves. She could _feel_ her mate. The girl looked around, chewing her lower lip.

_Sesshoumaru?_

.

The full-fledged yokai could feel his mate calling for him. He ignored it. His feelings were… strong. He was not meaning for them to go through to her, but he had no time to think about numbing their bond for the moment. While he could block her, she could not do the same to him. It was a good thing sometimes.

"Why?"

"Rin wouldn't be resting properly, correct?" Sesshoumaru said, matter-of-factly, "It carries my scent, and it is also something we use when we sleep."

Inuyasha sniffed before understanding flitted into his golden eyes, "I get it. I do. But why come all the way out here?"

Sesshoumaru stayed silent, finding no need to answer his younger brother's question.

"Just take it to her, Inuyasha," the yokai said, spinning on his heel.

"Are you going to take her back?" Inuyasha called.

The demon of the west did not even turn his head, merely stating in a low tone, "When the silly girl makes the right decision."

.

Rin squeezed her eyes shut, trying to focus on _all_ the thoughts her mate was thinking. But within seconds, she had been blocked, shoved out of his mind like ice water had been dumped on her head. She felt dizzy from excerting that much effort, but she just stayed still. Opening her hazel eyes once more, she straight away noticed the worried blue ones of her friend.

"What's going on, Rin?" Kagome asked, sitting down in front of the younger woman, "I know that Sesshoumaru is around, but… shouldn't you be blocked from feeling anything he is feeling?"

"In theory, yes," Rin murmured slowly, "But for a second, he let down his walls and let me in. But before I could find anything, he was protecting himself from me once more."

The miko looked over at her ningen friend with more worry, "You really need to sort this out. It has been more than two weeks since you've seen him, and you still don't have any answers."

The young girl swallowed, "I… I don't think this baby can kill me, like Sesshoumaru says."

Kagome frowned, "I haven't carried a half-demon. However… Inuyasha's mother survived it. Maybe it's a rare occurrence. The reason why his mother died is because… well."

"Can… Can Inuyasha find out for me—for us?" Rin asked, "I understand why Sesshoumaru worries for me, but… it's my choice, is it not? I am carrying this child, not him."

"But if you die, he'll die," Kagome breathed, "That's what he thinks, no doubt. He can't deal with the loss of his mate. He loves you so much."

Rin looked down, understanding what Kagome was saying. She did not want to be the death of her mate, but at the same time she does not want to kill the child within her. There _has _to be another way. Sesshoumaru could not bring her back using the tensaiga, as she has already died, but no doubt there are other ways—

_There are no other ways._

She stilled when she heard the deep voice of her mate pound through her mind.

_There has to be…_ she thought back, trying to make him understand.

_I have searched the lands. While there are **some** mothers who have survived the birth of half-breeds, _Rin winced at his wording, _many have died. It is not worth losing you, Rin. No child will be. If any child kills you, I will kill them._

_No. You're not going to kill this baby, Sesshoumaru_, Rin snarled right back, _I want this child to live a full life, even as a hanyou. This child is… I already love this baby so much, and it's nowhere near born. I will find a way. Or… I'll prove you **wrong**._

She knew that Sesshoumaru would not answer, so she did not wait. She stood up, staring down at Kagome.

"We need to find a way—or even knowledge of birthing a hanyou," the young woman said, staring fiercely down at her friend with a fire in her eyes, "I'll prove _him_ wrong."

The miko thought for a couple of seconds, before uttering, "I suppose… Myoga may know something. He has been Inu no Taisho's servant before, and no doubt there were other cases of inu-hanyou."

Rin had heard of the flea demon before. Sesshoumaru had spoken of him multiple times, and had explained who he was. Although, Rin had met the cowardly yokai herself multiple times, she had never really presumed that he was a servant of Inu no Taisho. That had been quite shocking to her, due to his smallness and his ability to, well, flee when danger appears. When it comes to inuyokai, she assumed that they would not like cowards. Well, it was an _assumption_ after all.

"What might that old flea know?"

The two women glanced at the open doorway to see that Inuyasha had returned.

"Papa!" the young hanyou called, darting over to his father.

"Ah… Ichiro," Inuyasha acknowledged before turning his attention onto Rin, "Sesshoumaru wanted you to have something."

He offered the white mokomoko over to the young woman. She took it, confusion evident in her hazel eyes.

"W—"

"He kinda said that you couldn't sleep without it. So…" Inuyasha paused, "It's like Ichiro's toy to you, pretty much."

Rin blushed, realizing that it sounded childish for her to be so attached to _fur_. However, it _did_ help her sleep, and she would take it gratefully. The young woman sighed heavily, before thanking Inuyasha quietly for collecting the pelt.

Kagome turned towards Inuyasha, "You heard us talking, right? I need you to go and find Myoga. He should be with—"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Inuyasha snorted, rolling his golden eyes, "I'll go an' do it. … Tomorrow, anyways."

Kagome smiled, "I wasn't asking you to go right now, silly. I was just asking if you _could_. I want to get this sorted out. Of course," the miko looked over at Rin, "I'm not saying I'm not happy to have you here, but I'm sure you want to return home."

"Yes… I do…" Rin said, not mentioning how painful it felt to be away from her loved one. It was almost like there was a piece of her missing, and that stung so much.

Inuyasha snorted before giving a fanged smile, "Feh! My brother should just accept what _you_ want. I'm sure it'd make you happy to have this child, even if it took our life. _Keh_, that brother of mine needs to learn."

Rin nearly smiled at the mention of him calling Sesshoumaru his brother. The two were starting to think more and more of each-other as siblings.

"Thanks… Inuyasha."

.

Sesshoumaru had returned a few hours later, Jaken at his heels already. The small goblin-like demon was going on about how there was some situations that he needed to attend to himself. The inuyokai felt not need to do anything for the moment. There was no one waiting for him at home, and he did not want to leave in case she returned. Of course, he did not think that she would, but maybe… maybe she might.

Golden eyes narrowed slightly as he gave his servant the heaviest glare he could conjure. The small green demon flinched before apologizing quickly, and scurrying away, no doubt to get other yokai to deal with _whatever _issue had come up.

_Rin…_

Almost instantly, he gained a response. _Thank you for…_

_No need. I can tell you haven't been sleeping well either._

He could feel that his mate's emotions were warm and slightly hopeful. He squeezed his eyes shut, focusing on her warmth. If he could not have her here, he could _feel_ her in other ways.

_Sesshoumaru… I'll find a way to keep this child and you,_ he heard her think, _I want to stay with you. And keep this child. There has to be a way._

The inuyokai hoped, in a way, that she would find a solution to this problem, but his hopes were dying as quickly as the rains in a desert. He did not want to give up on hope, but if the need comes, he would forcibly kill the child within her. It was something he did not want to do in the least, but… if it was the child's life over hers… he knew which he would choose.

Hers.

_I'll come for you in a few days. If you don't have a solution…_

He felt her hurt flash through their bond. _You can't…_

_I will, if it keeps you safe. Hate me if you must, but… it may be the only way. Prepare for that, Rin_.

With that, he closed off their bond once more.

.

The girl sighed, closing her watery eyes. She wrapped her slim body into the warmth of the pelt that she had been given. She had to hurry up and find a solution… or the truth, or even something that contradicts what Sesshoumaru has said about the baby.

If not… she may have to run from… even him.

.

_Tbc_

.


	4. Myths

**Protecting You**  
xxredemption-love-and-liesxx

.

_Chapter 4_  
Myths

.

**Notes: **Kinda different to what I had originally planned for this story, but still gives the same message in a way. I think there'll be one more chapter, and a prologue _maybe_.

.

Totosai banged his hammer against black metal in order to form a new sword. He kept silent, other than his repeated banging of the hammer. The inuyokai had a heavy scowl on his face as he sat around impatiently, waiting for Myoga to hurry up and _show up_.

"Where is he?" Inuyasha snarled, glaring over at the demon had forged his weapon, "I don't have all day."

Totosai paused his banging, glancing over at the hanyou, "What do you want to know, Inuyasha? I may be able to help you."

"Probably not," Inuyasha said automatically, "It's… something to do with inuyokai."

"Which is?"

The hanyou growled lowly, getting annoyed at the entire situation, "Sesshoumaru's mate is pregnant, and the prick doesn't want her to have it because he reckons she'll die if she gives birth. I dunno where he's figured it out from, but he reckons it."

Totosai let out a heavy breath, "Certain species of yokai are incompatible with ningen. Their sizes and even their forms make it difficult for female ningen to give birth. For example, there have been cases of larger male demons being with female humans, and the women cannot take the amount of stress on their bodies. There is also the factor of how long pregnancy lasts. Ningen cannot surpass ten months during pregnancy, but if their body is put to the limits, even for a short amount of time, they can die also."

"And what about inuyokai?"

"That… I do not know. I know of certain cases, but inuyokai are very… prestigious. I wonder though, could rumours of ningen dying during childbirth stop inuyokai from conceiving children with their partners?" Totosai asked rhetorically, before resuming his next work.

Inuyasha took in the old man's words, but still… he could not just make assumptions. Totosai is not sure either. Of course, it was frowned upon when a yokai and a ningen were bound, but pregnancy occurs. He had heard from Kagome that there ways to stop it in her times, but seeing as she did not return all that often, they had to rely on her cycle. Of course, that was really the only way to avoid it in these times.

Sesshoumaru either was not thinking, or they just ignored her cycle, thinking that nothing would happen. Though, following the cycle did not have a definite chance of stopping a mate from getting pregnant, but… it was reliable to some degree.

"Inuyasha!"

_Whack_! Inuyasha slapped his face and watched as the small flee fell to the ground like paper. The flea popped back up, and looked at Inuyasha with a grin. Inuyasha picked the little demon up between his clawed fingers.

"I need your help."

"With?" Myoga asked, squirming to get out of his master's clawed fingers, "Can you—"

Inuyasha did not drop the tiny yokai, "It's about Sesshoumaru and his mate."

With that, the flea demon stopped struggling and looked at his master with confusion evident. Inuyasha sighed and decided to explain everything in order to get the information he needed.

.

Her hazel eyes opened as she stared up at the ceiling. She felt the warmth of the soft pelt wrapped around her. She snuggled into it, imagining that her mate was holding her. However, she was not sure if she would get what she wanted most. Her fingers dug into the soft fur of the mokomoko.

"Did you end up sleeping better?" Kagome's soft voice asked.

She heard laughter from outside, and the familiar voice of the kitsune. Obviously, Ichiro and Shippou were playing outside. That kind of brought a smile onto her face, hearing the two 'children' playing together. It also brought a feeling of sadness to her chest. The poignant thoughts were going through her head, and it nearly brought tears to her eyes, but she stayed strong and refused to cry.

"Yes, I did," Rin answered just a softly, "but at the same time, this is making me miss Sesshoumaru even more."

She heard Kagome shuffle around within the small building, "That's the bond you two share. It'd be hurting him too, Rin."

She knew, kami she knew. But it still hurt. It really hurt.

"I know…"

The priestess leaned down, coming into view of Rin, "Come on. We should do something today. It's unhealthy to stay inside all day."

"Okay."

.

The four of them were wandering through the village, talking to some of the villagers. Rin had noticed in the watery reflection of the river that her tummy was becoming more prominent, although it would not be thought she was pregnant right away. Most of the villagers would just assume that she had gained weight, or something like that.

Shippou was chatting easily with Kagome's first born. The two were close, that was easy to see. It made Rin feel quite cheerful, seeing the two play around. While Shippou was older than Ichiro, it seemed that the young kitsune was as playful as ever. Although, she knew he could be rather serious, and was considered to be quite strong is contrast to other kitsune. While not matching up to Inuyasha, the boy was a lot more useful. However, it could be presumed that Ichiro would surpass him.

"It's nice here, isn't it?" Kagome asked, glancing over at her younger friend, "I'm glad Inuyasha and I decided to stay."

"It's nice back at home too," Rin said, "Sesshoumaru makes the place look nice. He seems cold, but he enjoys seeing beautiful scenery."

Kagome giggled, "He doesn't seem like the sort to like things like that."

Rin silently agreed. It had surprised her when she first went to his home. She had been so used to travelling that she did not really think he had a place to return to. She also did not think that it would be so masterfully decorated. But, it is something that she has gotten accustomed to, so she could not have it any other way.

The sapphire-eyed priestess looked up, giving an impression of being frightened, "Hey… Rin, you need to go back home. Take Ichiro with you."

"What's—"

"Just go. Some yokai are passing through," Kagome said, not taking her eyes off of something, "Shippou… I might need your help with this."

The young woman gripped onto her crimson bow, ready to use the weapon if need be. Rin had noticed that Kagome carried it around with her. Did she think something might happen today? No, she would not have allowed Rin or Ichiro out if that were the case.

"Okay, I'll do it… Be safe," Rin said, picking up the young hanyou who seemed like he wanted to stay with his mother.

"Mama! I can help—I'm strong, like Papa!" the boy cried, but did nothing to get out of Rin's arms.

"I know you're strong, but you don't know how yokai can be. They won't stop, even for a child like you. Even then, you may provoke them," Kagome explained as quickly as she could, "Please, Rin, take him."

Shippou added in, "Kagome will be too worried for you. She won't be able to focus."

With that, Ichiro kept quiet, with tears shining in his brilliant gold eyes. The boy wanted to stay with his mother, anyone could see that.

After that, Rin headed off back to Kagome's home.

.

"… Really?" Inuyasha asked, looking genuinely surprised, "So it's not—"

Myoga shook his head, "Pretty much. Sesshoumaru was believing rumours that his own kinsmen had spread. It's not his fault. Inu no Taisho had spread the rumours to begin with. He did not want any of his people to be with people. Funny, seeing as he broke his own rule."

The hanyou looked genuinely surprised, almost as if he had expected his elder brother to be correct, "But Sesshoumaru would have researched it on his own? There _had_ to have been other ningen birthing hanyou."

"Yes, but… other yokai would have aided him with his research," Myoga explained, "Many are unhappy with his choice of a human."

"Oh…"

.

Kagome ran along the dirt path, trying to find the yokai she had sensed. The young woman halted to a stop when the yokai were weaker yokai than she had expected.

"Stop!" she called loudly.

Almost instantly, the small group of yokai halted, and looked in her general direction.

One said, almost too quietly, "We are passing through, miko. We are not here to harm this pitiful village."

Kagome did not believe them right away, instead fixing them with a thick glare, "I don't believe you. There's no way—"

"It is, miko," another said in a rough, scratchy voice, "We wish to enter Inuyasha's Forest in order to get to where we need to go."

"Then _go around_," Kagome growled lowly, "It's not that hard. You're scaring everyone here. I'm not saying there are _no_ good yokai, but lately, we have been plagued by _evil_ ones."

"Yeah! Hurry up and go!" Shippou cried, but he was blatantly ignored by the yokai.

The yokai growled lowly, but another spoke, "Our apologies. We shall go around, then."

With that, the group of three turned and headed out of the village. Kagome let out a heavy exhale, annoyed that her time was wasted like that. Still, it was better than fighting with them. The young woman turned on her heel, only to crash into—

"Hey, watch where you're—Inuyasha?" the young woman blinked a few times before blushing profusely, "Uh… sorry."

Inuyasha rose a silver eyebrow, looking confused, "What's with you?"

"Yokai. Wasting time."

The hanyou sighed, letting out a heavy breath, "Alright. I'd be pissed too. Fuck… I could smell yokai, but I didn't think much of it. Didn't cause ya any trouble?"

"No, they just wanted to pass through. Apparently they needed to get to that forest," Kagome said, puffing her cheeks and crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm so _annoyed_."

"Me too!" Shippou huffed, hugging onto Kagome's leg before hissing, "Those stupid yokai! Why did they need to come through?"

"Tsk, aren't you forgetting you're a yokai?" Inuyasha asked, giving Shippou a deadly look, "And let go of Kagome, will ya? Seriously, you woulda run away scared."

"Bleehhhh!" Shippou poked his tongue out at the older inuyokai, squeezing his eyes shut, "Shut up, Inuyasha! You wouldn't get it. I'm a _good _yokai. There are _good _yokai. Maybe not many, but I'm _good_."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah… Y'er only good if you get something out of. What do you want, pipsqueak?" Inuyasha asked, before promptly picking the kitsune up by his tail.

"Inuyasha!"

"Let go! Let go!"

"What, Kagome? He's being irritating. He just wants something," Inuyasha said defensively, "That's all he wants."

Kagome growled in a _very _not so human way, stomping her foot before muttering _those _words, causing Inuyasha to go head first into the ground.

"Stupid, Inuyasha!" Shippou growled, having moved swiftly to not get squished by the larger creature, "I'm here to see Ichiro, you know! I talk to him quite a bit and teach him things!"

Kagome nodded her head, "It's true."

"And _what_ has the runt been teaching him—"

"Mama! Papa!"

The couple turned their heads in the direction of the shrill cry. Instantly thinking the worst, Inuyasha jumped onto his feet and unsheathed his weapon. Kagome was also worried, still clutching her bow.

"Is everything over?" Rin asked when she came into view, with Ichiro by her side.

The two parents relaxed almost right away when they noticed their son. Of course, they were glad Rin was fine too, but they were worried about their son the most. After all, a parent's love is one of the strongest things.

"Yep," Inuyasha answered for Kagome, "Apparently, they wasted her time."

Ichiro jumped into Kagome, knocking over Shippou who whined in response. Kagome patted the young hanyou and smiled.

"So everything's okay?" the young child asked, looking up at his mother.

"Yep. C'mon," she looked at everyone who had gathered, "Let's head back."

"Wait…" Rin said, "Did you… Did you find out, Inuyasha?"

The hanyou nodded, but did not say anything else. He instead followed Kagome, Ichiro and Shippou who had already started heading back. Obviously he wanted to talk about when they got to the privacy of their small home.

.

Sesshoumaru watched the small, green demon go on about something that had happened during one of the many patrols Sesshoumaru sets up with his servants. Though, his mind was elsewhere. He was trying to focus in on his beloved's thoughts, as he felt hope spark through her emotions like wildfire. His fingers dug into the palm of his hand. What could have possibly caused such a change in her hope?

Digging through the surface of her thoughts, he supposed she did not really know if the child would kill her, but Inuyasha's return from seeing Myoga made her feel hopeful. Still, he did not understand why she would allow her feelings to become so powerful that if, she is let down, it will no doubt hurt. Then again, he does not really understand emotions in the same way ningen do. Not that yokai have _no _emotions, but their emotions are… well… not as strong. Tears do not come as easily to yokai, unless events or circumstances arise.

He could tell that she was praying to kami that her thoughts are correct, that he, Sesshoumaru is wrong. He wishes that it were that case he was wrong, but he trusted his advisors. He did not need an heir, anyways. Inuyokai like himself live for a long time, and another inuyokai would have come and taken his place. It was just how things would need to be.

.

The group of four made their way back to Inuyasha's home. The four of them stayed outside rather than entering the small house, wanting to stay out in the cool breeze. Ichiro and Shippou were sitting on a large, flat rock, while Kagome and Inuyasha were sitting on the porch of the cottage. Rin was cross-legged, in front of the two of them.

"So, I'm guessin' you wanna know about everything, then?" Inuyasha asked, resting his weapon against his chest.

It appears that was a habit, as he nearly always had the blade with him. Maybe it gave him a feeling of safety?

Kagome seemed to already know what was going on, and was resting peacefully against her mate. She had her eyes closed, and seemed to be trying to rest.

Rin nodded her head, wishing for everything to become _clear_. She wanted to return home, to the safety of her mate's arms. However… if things did not go the way she wants, she would flee. She would run, and continue running until he caught up with her, and even then, she would continue to run. She would protect the child within her, even if it caused her death.

"Well," Inuyasha cleared his throat before _finally_ giving the answer Rin needs to know, "Kinda seems like my brother was pretty fuckin' wrong."

Rin blinked at the _pure_ bluntness of his statement. Then, happiness spread through her and she felt oddly _calm_. Joy and relief were the main emotions she was feeling, and tears pricked her eyes. These tears signified her sheer delight.

Shippou and Ichiro were _clearly_ not paying attention, and were now sparring. Ichiro showed that he had the typical claws of an inuyokai, although his were similar to Inuyasha's. He clawed at Shippou, who transformed into a small bat, flittering into the air and dodging the child's hits. It seemed like Shippou had learnt new transformations. _Or_ he just never used everything he had.

Rin watched the two, and was hoping that those two children would accept her baby like her baby will no doubt accept them. Though, she knew Ichiro and Shippou were kind-hearted, and would accept anyone who would play with them.

"Sesshoumaru was pretty serious about it. There's a reason for it," Inuyasha said, having allowed Rin time to think, "Inuyokai were one of the many yokai who _did not _accept hanyou into their lineage. Often, these hanyou were erased in family lines, and that often caused confusion when those hanyou offspring appeared in order to learn about their history. Though, seems like my father was the one that created the rule in the first place."

At this, Rin allowed shock to show on her face. She had heard that Inu no Taisho was _accepting _of ningen because of his mate. However, maybe even he did not care for ningen to begin with, much like Sesshoumaru was in the past. Though, Sesshoumaru's hate for humans stemmed from his father not giving any attention to himself and his mother.

"Yeah, I was pretty surprised too, Otou-chan kinda made it clear that humans were _not_ burdens," the hanyou said, taking his hands off of his weapon and moving it to the side, before pulling his mate into his lap, "In order to stop inuyokai from mating with ningen, he created a rumour that stated that inuyokai and ningen are incompatible, as Myoga said, anyways. _But_ this was clearly not true, seeing as _I_ didn't kill my mother."

_Yes… but it could also be luck…_ Rin thought sadly.

"And there were other hanyou around. Some are different than I am. All I got was these silly ears," with that Inuyasha allowed his ears to twitch to prove a point, "But, I'm similar to a ningen, as are normal inuyokai too. Myoga said that, while there is always the risk, it's not that high in inuyokai. It was just a scare tactic taught to Sesshoumaru, but seeing as Otou-chan died, Sesshoumaru couldn't ask."

"Then why didn't any of the researchers find this?" Rin asked, remembering that Sesshoumaru had said he had looked everywhere; she knew he would have used his own team as well.

"Because it is frowned upon when yokai are mated with ningen," Kagome said, answering on Inuyasha's part, "Hanyou aren't exactly… _wanted_ by anyone. Only the parents, really."

Inuyasha looked somewhat offended by his mate's words, but did nothing to push her off.

Kagome seemed to sense this and said: "I'm meaning, people that don't really know what you're like. Other children would not play with you when you were younger, and adult ningen would not give you any respect. It's because hanyou are considered different to ningen and yokai."

The inuyokai let out a snort, "Those people pissed me off most."

Smiling softly at Rin, Kagome stated: "It should be fine for this child to be born. It's just… rumours that inuyokai and ningen cannot breed. It's a way to scare people. Honestly, I'd talk to these researchers of nii-san's," a wince from Inuyasha, "and sort them out."

Rin nodded, agreeing with Kagome's words, "So… I'll be fine?"

"Yep, just usual childbirth worries," Inuyasha said, wrapping his arms around his mate's waist.

The girl broke out in a bright grin, finally feeling happy.

.

_Tbc_


End file.
